Financial Aid Policies

Following are the general policies of the University and the Financial Aid Office.

Awarding Policy

Augustana's commitment as a residential university is affirmed by its policy of awarding financial aid that is intended to assist with direct educational costs for tuition, fees, university-owned housing, and board. As noted on your financial aid award if a student is approved to live off campus or does not enroll in The Unlimited meal plan, Augustana gift assistance will be prorated at 90%; if approved to live off campus and not enrolled in The Unlimited meal plan, Augustana gift assistance will be prorated at 80%. See Study Abroad policy for award details during semesters abroad.

Renewal of Awards

The University reserves the right to renew its scholarship commitments from any University funding source. Students must be full-time and in good academic standing to maintain scholarships during each year of study. Renewal of any federal need-based aid is contingent upon a student's financial need as determined by the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), as well as the availability of certain funds at the University.

Study Abroad

Augustana students who choose to study abroad during the fall or spring academic terms will have their Augustana gift aid pro-rated according to a specified formula. The determination of whether a student is allowed to apply any Augustana gift aid toward study abroad expenses is contingent upon three factors: the cost of the program selected, Augustana’s current costs, the amount of Augustana gift aid the student normally receives. Federal, state and other aid is generally applicable for eligible Study Abroad programs.

Students interested in study abroad programs are encouraged to first visit with the International Programs Office to learn about program availability and costs, then to contact the Financial Aid Office for determination of individual financial aid eligibility. More information regarding study abroad can be found at augie.edu/studyabroad.

Financial Aid Appeals

Applying for federal student aid can be challenging when your family's current ability to pay for university cannot be accurately reflected on the FAFSA. Families may request an appeal of the financial aid award in the event of unusual circumstances, which may include, but are not limited to: income reduction, unemployment of a wage-earner, unusually high medical costs, divorce, natural disaster, or others. The Special Circumstances Form is available online — choose either the Dependent or Independent form, depending on your status.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students are expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to retain eligibility for institutional as well as federal assistance. Students whose academic progress falls below certain standards will be placed on probation or dismissed from the university. The complete academic policy is outlined in the Academic Policies portion of this catalog. The Satisfactory Academic Progress for federal aid policy can be found here.

Refund Policy

Students who withdraw from the institution will have 100 percent of their tuition and fees refunded during the first calendar week of the term. Beginning with the eighth calendar day of the term, tuition will be recalculated on a prorated basis. Room and board charges will be refunded on a prorated basis beginning with the first day of the term. Any financial aid credited to the student's account will also be adjusted. No refund is made after 60 percent of the term has passed. Review the complete policy online. For information specific to 2017-2018 please click here.

Grievance Policy

An individual has the right to file a complaint with outside enforcement agencies including:

United States Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
South Dakota Division of Human Rights
South Dakota Department of Labor
South Dakota Secretary of State
Higher Learning Commission
State or local law enforcement or prosecution authorities

In the event an individual in another state wishes to file a complaint with their state agency, a listing of all state boards can be found here.

Military and Veteran Assistance

Designated as both a Yellow Ribbon School and a Veteran Friendly School, Augustana University is committed to assisting veterans in their pursuit of post-secondary education. The University also participates in the Army ROTC and the Air Force ROTC programs for students who are interested in military careers. Veterans and their families can utilize the traditional GI Bill® as well as the Post 911 GI Bill benefits for tuition and fees at Augustana. Review the complete policy online.

Code of Conduct

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 requires the development and enforcement of a Code of Conduct to govern all educational loan activity. See Code of Conduct for more information.